The High Sheriff of West Sussex is annually appointed as the sovereign's representative in West Sussex county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.
The oldest office under the crown, the office of High Sheriff is over 1000 years old, with its establishment before the Norman Conquest. The Office of High Sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office under the Crown as the Sovereign's personal representative. The High Sheriff remains the sovereign's representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order. Prior to 1974, there was one High Sheriff for the whole of Sussex. The High Sheriff is appointed annually in March.
Roles and responsibilities
High Sheriffs are responsible in the Counties of England and Wales for duties conferred by the Crown through Warrant from the Privy Council, including:
Attendance at Royal visits to the CountyThe wellbeing and protection of Her Majesty's High Court Judges when on Circuit in the County and attending them in Court during the legal terms.The execution of High Court Writs and Orders (which is mainly achieved through the Under Sheriff)Acting as the Returning Officer for Parliamentary Elections in County constituenciesResponsibility for the proclamation of the accession of a new SovereignThe maintenance of the loyalty of subjects to the Crown1974-1975: Wing Commander Geoffrey Harry Briggs, DFC, DL 1975-1976: Donald D Scott1976-1977: David S W Blacker, DL1977-1978: Geoffrey M Cresswell-Wall1978-1979: Peter M Luttman-Johnson1979-1980: The Hon Henry Edward Boscawen1980-1981: Leslie Langmead1981-1982: David I Bosanquet1982-1983: Peter Langmead, OBE 1983-1984: Edward John Frederick Green 1984-1985: Major General John Cowley, CB, DL1985-1986: Major General Sir Philip Ward, KCVO, CBE, DL1986-1987: James Frederick Godman-Dorington 1987-1988: David Hopkinson, DL1988-1989: Ronald C Langmead1989-1990: John Richard Bine Morgan-Grenville, DL, of Upperton, Petworth 1990-1991: David W Bowerman, JP, DL1991-1992: Michael Desmond Sugden, JP 1992-1993: Jeremy Fox Eric Smith, DL 1993-1994: Richard Harry Goring, DL 1994-1995: Peter Longley, OBE, DL1995-1996: Hugh Wyatt, DL1996-1997: John Knight, DL 1997-1998: Col Sir Brian Walter de Stopham Barttelot, Bt., OBE, DL1998-1999: Brian Trafford, DL1999-2000: Judith Buckland, MBE, DL2000-2001: Robin R Loder2001-2002: Graham G Ferguson, DL2002-2003: Mark W Burrell2003-2004: Major Mark F H Scrase-Dickins CMG2004-2005: Roger Reed2005-2006: Gordon Tregear2006-2007: Charles Torquil de Montalt Fraser2007–2008: Colin Peter John Field 2008-2009: Sir Richard Kleinwort 2009-2010: Simon Fairfax Knight 2010–2011: Elizabeth Bennett 2011-2012: David H Tupper Esq DL of Petworth2012-2013: Andrew John P Stephenson Clarke Esq 2013-2014: D Patrick H Burgess MBE 2014–2015: Jonathan Charles Lucas of Warnham Park, Horsham 2015-2016: Mrs Denise Lesley Anne Patterson of Aldwick Bay, Bognor Regis2016–2017: Mark Spofforth of Slindon, Sussex